U.S. patent number 3,870,135 [Application Number 05/315,407] was granted by the patent office on 1975-03-11 for cigarette carton dispensing system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Carton Sales, Inc.. Invention is credited to Corey M. Allen.
United States Patent |
3,870,135 |
Allen |
March 11, 1975 |
Cigarette carton dispensing system
Abstract
The system functions so that a shopper purchases a token at a
check-out counter for a stated price and thereafter uses the token
to operate a cigarette carton vending machine. The tokens are
purchased from a central source and are used immediately to operate
a vending machine so that constant control is maintained of the
tokens. Each vending machine is composed of modular units and is
itself built as a modular unit to provide for ready operation.
Inventors: |
Allen; Corey M. (Mamaroneck,
NY) |
Assignee: |
Carton Sales, Inc.
(Mammaroneck, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
26823340 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/315,407 |
Filed: |
December 15, 1972 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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125174 |
Mar 17, 1971 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
194/205;
221/129 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F
11/16 (20130101); G07F 11/04 (20130101); G07F
7/02 (20130101); G06Q 20/3433 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07F
7/00 (20060101); G07F 11/04 (20060101); G07F
7/02 (20060101); G07F 11/16 (20060101); G07f
007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;194/4,10
;221/129,272,274,131 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Tollberg; Stanley H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr
& Chapin
Claims
I claim:
1. In a system for dispensing cigarette cartons a vending machine
comprising
a housing of modular construction having a floor therein for
supporting a stack of cigarette cartons thereon, a door for
exposing the interior thereof for replenishment of cigarette
cartons to the stack, and an opening of a size corresponding to one
of the cigarette cartons aligned with the lowermost carton of the
stack;
a tray slidably mounted on said floor with the lowermost carton
therein, said tray having a tab exposed to the exterior of said
housing and a pair of slots therein;
gate means adjacent said opening of said housing including a gate
plate disposed between said opening and the lowermost carton of the
stack to pass through one of said slots in said tray to block the
passage of the lowermost carton through said opening, and means for
retracting said gate plate from said tray;
a lock mounted below said tray and having a plate to pass through
the other of said slots in said tray and means for retracting said
plate from said tray; and
retraction means mounted to the rear of said housing and including
a yoke pivotally mounted in said housing with a pair of arms having
elongated grooves therein, a solenoid pivotally mounted in said
housing and having a reciprocally mounted piston hingedly secured
to said yoke, and cams on said tray disposed in said grooves of
said arms to permit said tray to be retracted into said housing
upon retraction of said piston into said solenoid.
2. A system for dispensing cigarette cartons comprising in
combination
a plurality of tokens;
a check-out station maintaining a supply of said tokens thereat for
individual purchase of a token; and
a cigarette carton dispensing station having a plurality of vending
machines thereat, each said vending machine including a stack of
cigarette cartons therein, first means for receiving one of said
tokens within said machine, a housing having said stack of cartons
arranged in vertical disposition therein and having an opening
disposed in alignment with the lowermost carton of said stack, and
second means aligned with said lowermost carton and said opening to
push said lowermost carton a predetermined distance from said stack
through said opening for exposure of a predetermined length of said
lowermost carton to the exterior of said housing, said second means
including a reciprocally mounted piston for pushing said lowermost
carton through said opening and means for varying the pushing force
imposed on said lowermost carton in direct relation to the number
of cartons in said stack, said first means being connected to said
second means for actuating said second means in response to
receiving one of said tokens.
3. In a system for dispensing cigarette cartons, a vending machine
comprising
a housing of modular construction having a floor therein for
supporting a stack of cigarette cartons thereon, a door for
exposing the interior thereof for replenishment of cigarette
cartons to the stack, and an opening of a size corresponding to one
of the cigarette cartons aligned with the lowermost carton of the
stack;
gate means adjacent said opening of said housing including a gate
plate disposed between said opening and the lowermost carton of the
stack to block the passage of the lowermost carton through said
opening, and means for retracting said gate plate from between said
opening and the lowermost carton;
a linear actuator mounted on said floor to the rear of said housing
and including a reciprocally mounted piston aligned with the
lowermost carton and means for moving said piston a predetermined
amount to push the lowermost carton through said opening a
predetermined distance; and
a sensing means in said floor for detecting the passage of the
lowermost carton from said housing, said sensing means being
connected to said gate means to activate said gate means to
positively dispose said gate plate between said opening and the
next carton of the stack occupying the lowermost position.
4. A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said gate means is a
modular unit replaceably secured in said housing.
5. A system for dispensing cigarette cartons comprising in
combination
a plurality of tokens;
a check-out station maintaining a supply of said tokens thereat for
individual purchase of a token; and
a cigarette carton dispensing station having a plurality of vending
machines thereat, each said vending machine including a stack of
cigarette cartons therein, first means for receiving one of said
tokens within said machine, a housing having said stack of cartons
arranged in vertical disposition therein and having an opening
disposed in alignment with the lowermost carton of said stack, and
second means aligned with said lowermost carton and said opening to
push said lowermost carton a predetermined distance from said stack
through said opening for exposure of a predetermined length of said
lowermost carton to the exterior of said housing, means for varying
the pushing force imposed on said lowermost carton in direct
relation to the number of cartons in said stack, said first means
being connected to said second means for actuating said second
means in response to receiving one of said tokens.
6. A system for dispensing cigarette cartons comprising in
combination
a plurality of identical tokens;
a check-out station maintaining a supply of said tokens thereat for
individual purchase of a token; and
a cigarette carton dispensing station having a plurality of vending
machines thereat, each said vending machine including a housing for
containing a stack of cigarette cartons therein, an exterior
opening in said housing for the pasage of the lowermost carton of
the stack from said housing, gate means within said housing for
preventing unauthorized extraction of a carton through said
opening, first means within said housing for moving one of said
cartons a predetermined distance from said stack through said
opening, said first means being aligned with said lowermost carton
and said opening to push said lowermost carton through said opening
for exposure of a predetermined length of said lowermost carton to
the exterior of said housing, said first means including a
reciprocally mounted piston for pushing said lowermost carton
through said opening; and means for varying the pushing force
imposed on said lowermost carton in direct relation to the number
of cartons in said stack, an electronic circuit connected to said
gate means and said first means to actuate said gate means and said
first means in sequential order, and means for receiving any one of
said tokens within said machine for automatically actuating said
electronic circuit in response thereto.
7. A system for dispensing cigarette cartons comprising in
combination
a plurality of identical tokens;
a check-out station maintaining a supply of said tokens thereat for
individual purchase of a token; and
a cigarette carton dispensing station having a plurality of vending
machines thereat, each said vending machine including a housing for
containing a stack of cigarette cartons therein, an exterior
opening in said housing for the passage of the lowermost carton of
the stack from said housing, gate means within said housing for
preventing unauthorized extraction of a carton through said
opening, first means within said housing for moving one of said
cartons a predetermined distance from said stack through said
opening, said first means including a tray slidably disposed in
said housing and having a tab extending through said opening to the
exterior of said housing for pulling of said tray from said housing
with said lowermost carton thereon, a spring connected to said
housing and said tray biasing said tray into said housing,
retracting means for pulling said tray from an extended position
into a retracted position within said housing for receiving a
further cigarette carton of said stack thereon, and a lock for
holding said tray in said retracted position, an electronic circuit
connected to said gate means and said lock to actuate said gate
means and to unlock said lock in sequential order, and means for
receiving any one of said tokens within said machine for
automatically actuating said electronic circuit in response
thereto.
8. A system for dispensing cigarette cartons as set forth in claim
7 further comprising stop means for limiting the movement of said
tray out of said housing.
Description
This invention relates to a cigarette carton dispensing system.
It has been known that the sale of cigarettes has presented
particular problems to retail outlets, such as supermarkets,
because of pilferage and the relative ease in obtaining otherwise
unauthorized use of the cigarettes. In some outlets, a relatively
large percentage of cigarette cartons have been removed without
payment by persons entering into these retail outlets or by
employees thereof. In other instances, individual cigarette packs
have been removed from cartons prior to sale such that the shopper
has obtained less than a full carton.
In order to prevent these abuses and obtain a more effective
control over the sale of cigarette cartons, many retail outlets
have placed the cigarette cartons at their check-out counters so as
to be under the direct supervision of a check-out sales person.
However, in these cases, relatively large storage areas are
required at the point of check-out in order to maintain a proper
supply of cigarette cartons. In other instances, retail stores have
retained the cigarette cartons in a manager's office for direct
sale to a shopper. This, however, has caused an inconvenience to
the shopper.
Because of the pilferage of cigarette cartons and/or the lack of
convenience in purchasing cigarettes, the total sales of cigarettes
through retail outlets, especially, supermarkets has, in many
cases, been curtailed. As a consequence, the amount of profit to be
made on cigarette sales by a retail owner has decreased.
In order to overcome these above problems and inconveniences, it is
an object of this invention to provide a cigarette carton
dispensing system which requires a minimum of security control.
It is another object of this invention to provide a cigarette
carton dispensing system which requires a minimum of labor to be
placed in operation.
It is another object of this invention to provide a cigarette
carton dispensing system which is relatively simple and efficient
to operate.
It is another object of this invention to provide a cigarette
carton dispensing system which utilizes vending machines of compact
modular construction.
It is another object of this invention to provide a cigarette
carton dispensing system with vending machines which are attractive
in appearance and which require relatively small space.
Briefly, the invention provides a cigarette carton dispensing
system in which a token is purchased by a shopper at a check-out
counter for a stated price and is then immediately used by the
shopper to obtain a cigarette carton from a vending machine. The
cigarette vending machine is constructed as a modular unit so that
a number of such units, each of which supplies a different brand of
cigarettes from the other can be oriented in a desired fashion. In
addition, the vending machine units are installed at a location
beyond and convenient to the check-out counter so that a checker
can visually supervise the purchase of cigarette cartons from the
vending machines.
Each vending machine of the system is constructed so as to be
actuated by a purchased token and each includes a housing
containing a number of cartons, for example, twenty, which are
stacked in vertical array. The housing is provided with an opening,
for example, at a lower portion of the front face which is of a
size to permit passage of the lowermost carton of the carton stack
out of the housing. Each vending machine also has a means within
the housing for moving the lowermost carton a predetermined
distance, e.g., 4 inches, out of the housing. In this way, the
shopper is then able to grasp and remove the carton. Each machine
also has a suitable means for receiving the tokens for actuating
the machine, such as electrically or mechanically, so as to
dispense a cigarette carton in response to the deposit of a
token.
Each cigarette carton vending machine is also constructed so that
after the removal of a carton, the machine automatically becomes
set up for a successive vending operation in response to the
deposit of further tokens.
The means for moving a cigarette carton from a vending machine as
well as the token receiving means are constructed in modular form
and mounted in the housing of the vending machine in a removable
manner as to be readily replaced, if necessary.
Each vending machine is of modular construction so that a plurality
of such machines can be oriented in a horizontal array as well as a
vertical array so as to occupy a relatively compact space. Further,
as the individual vending machines are each formed of a modular
unit of compact construction, a single brand of cigarettes can be
supplied by each. In this way, all of the known brands can be
dispensed by the system in an efficient manner. Also, where one
cigarette brand is more popular than another, multiple units can be
provided. Likewise, where some brands are of limited appeal the
units can be formed in fractional sizes, such as half sizes, and
two or more such units can be stacked on each other.
In use, the cigarette vending machines are oriented together at a
dispensing station beyond a check-out station but within view of a
checker at a check-out counter in the check-out station. In order
to operate the system, a shopper, upon checking out at the
check-out counter, purchases a token for an amount equivalent to
the price of the carton of cigarettes desired. Thereafter, while
under some degree of surveillance, the shopper passes through the
check-out counter and moves to the dispensing station and deposits
the token in the vending machine containing the cigarettes desired.
The token then activates the vending machine and a carton is
projected from the machine. The shopper then completely removes the
carton from the machine and continues on his way out of the retail
outlet.
Should it be necessary to protect against any counterfeiting of the
tokens of the system, the tokens can be made of a unique
construction for use over a limited period of time, for example,
one day, while the token receiving means of the vending machines
are made so as to be adjusted to respond to different tokens. For
example, a disposable paper token can be provided with a stamped
date code so that a vending machine can only be operated on the
date indicated by the code. The machines, would, of course, be
provided with a suitable inexpensive read-out to read the tokens
and activate the dispensing operation of the machines only upon
deposit of a valid token.
The invention thus provides a relatively high security carton
cigarette dispensing system since the dispensing of the cigarette
cartons is controlled from vending machines which can only be
actuated with the proper token. In addition, as the token can only
be purchased from the check-out counter of a retail outlet, the
number of tokens in distribution can be readily determined and
controlled. Still further, since the vending machines are in
relatively close vicinity to the check-out counters, surveillance
of the vending machine users can be readily carried out by the
check-out personnel.
The invention further provides a system which is able to dispense a
relatively large number of cartons of diverse brands of cigarettes
from a relatively small retail sales station. As a result, a
favorable amount of profit can be obtained.
Another feature of the invention is that the cigarette vending
machine units can be placed at a convenient station beyond the
check-out counters. In this way, suitable advertising displays can
be associated with the units so as to stimulate the sales of the
cigarettes contained within the dispensing units.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become
more apparent from the following detailed description and appended
claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in
which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a system according to the
invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a plurality of cigarette
vending machines according to the invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates a fragmentary front view of a single cigarette
vending machine according to the invention;
FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a mechanism for dispensing a
cigarette carton from the dispensing unit according to the
invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment for expelling the cigarette
carton individually from a vending machine unit according to the
invention;
FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of the structure set forth in FIG.
5;
FIG. 7 illustrates a view of a cigarette vending machine as shown
in FIG. 4 with a carton in an expelled condition; and
FIG. 8 illustrates a view of the cigarette vending machine of FIG.
7 immediately prior to the removal of the lowermost carton from the
vending machine.
Referring to FIG. 1, the cigarette carton dispensing system
consists of at least one check-out counter 10 at a check-out
station 11, a token 12 and at least one cigarette carton vending
machine 13 at a dispensing station 14. As shown, for a typical
supermarket retail outlet, a number of check-out counters 10 are
arranged near a common entrance and exit 15 to the outlet and each
is staffed by suitable personnel as is known. The cigarette carton
dispensing station 14 is located near the check-out station 11 and
includes a plurality of the cigarette vending machines 13 oriented
in a stacked array. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, most of the vending
machines 13 are of upright construction and are arranged in
horizontal array while other machines 13' are of half size and
stacked vertically.
A supply of tokens 12 is maintained at each check-out counter 12
and each is sold to a shopper 16 in return for a stated amount of
money corresponding to the cost of a carton of a particular brand
of cigarettes. After purchase, the tokens 12 are utilized by the
shopper 16 immediately to operate the desired cigarette machine 13,
13'. To this end, the tokens 12 can be of any suitable shape and
construction so as to activate the selected cigarette machines.
Referring to FIG. 2, each vending machine 13, 13' is constructed
with a housing 17 of modular box-like construction and is supported
on a suitable stand 18 adjacent to each other. In the case where
each machine 13 is to be operated electrically, a suitable power
cord 19 extends from the machine 13 and plugs into a suitable power
line strip 20 located, for example, on the underside of the stand
18. Each housing 17 has a front door 21 which is hinged on a
suitable hinge 22 on one side and provided with a lock 23 on the
opposite side so that access can be had to the housing interior
from the front. The lock 23 can be of any suitable construction to
secure the door 21 to the housing 17. The housing 17 is sized to
accomodate a stack of cigarette cartons 24, for example, twenty
cartons. In addition, the housing 17 is provided with an exterior
opening 25 in the lower end of the door 21 for the passage of the
lowermost cigarette carton of the stack from the machine 13. Still
further, the housing 17 includes a token receiving slot 26 in the
door 21 which communicates in a suitable manner with a token
receiving means 27 in the lower part of the housing 17. This token
receiving means 27 is constructed as a modular unit to be readily
removed from the housing 17 when desired and is also constructed to
activate the machine 13 to dispense a cigarette carton 24 upon
deposit of a token 12. The receiving means 27 also includes a token
reject return 28' as is known as well as a token acceptance box 29'
for receiving valid tokens. The box 29' is provided with a suitable
lock 30' so as to be readily removed from the remainder of the
token receiving means 27 for retrieval or safekeeping of the
tokens.
Should it be necessary to view the contents of the machine 13, the
door 21 can be provided with a transparent panel 26'. This also
allows the number of cigarette cartons remaining in the machine 13
to be viewed.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the interior of the housing 17 of a
vending machine 13 is provided with a plurality of vertically
disposed guides 27' so as to align the vertical stack of cigarette
cartons 24 therein. In addition, the housing 17 has a stationary
floor 28 which supports the stack of cigarette cartons 24 thereon
and extends from front to back. As shown in FIG. 4, the opening 25
in the door 21 is of a height slightly in excess of the height of a
carton 24 so that the cartons 24 can be removed from the housing 17
individually.
In order to prevent an unauthorized extraction of a carton 24
through the openings 25, a gate means 29 is provided within the
housing 17 at a point near the opening 25. To this end, a slot 30
is provided in the floor 28 of the housing 17 and the gate means 29
has a gate in the form of a plate 31 which extends upwardly through
the slot 30 into the path of the lowermost carton 24. The gate
plate 31 is connected to a suitable retraction means 33 such as an
electrically operated solenoid so as to be retracted downwardly
through the opening 30 to allow the carton 24 to pass through the
opening 25. The retraction means 33 is constructed in a suitable
manner to react to a token being deposited into the token receiving
means 27. In addition, as shown, a spring 34 is provided to bias
the plate 31 upwardly through the floor slot 30 after the
retraction means 33 has been deenergized.
The gate means 29 is constructed as a modular unit to be readily
installed and replaced within the housing 17 and is secured at a
forward end of the housing 17 by a suitable bracket 35.
As shown in FIG. 4, in order to positively expell a carton 24 from
the housing 17, a means in the form of a linear actuator 36 is
located to the rear of the lowermost carton 24 to push the carton
24 a predetermined amount from the housing 17. This linear actuator
36 has a cylinder 37 which is fixed to the floor 28 and a piston 38
which is reciprocally mounted in the cylinder 37 in alignment with
the lowermost carton 24 and opening 25. The linear actuator 36 is
operated in a predetermined time sequence with the gate means 29 so
as to push the lowermost carton 24 outwardly of the housing 17 a
predetermined distance, for example, 4 inches, after the gate plate
31 is retracted.
Since the force required of the linear actuator 36 for expelling a
carton 24 depends upon the height of the cigarette carton stack
above the lowermost carton, a suitable means can be provided to
decrease the force of the expelling linear actuator 36 as the
height of the cigarette carton stack decreases. To this end, an
electrically conductive rod 39 is located on a wall of the housing
17 alongside the stack of cartons and is electrically connected
over a suitable connection 40 into the linear actuator 36 voltage
supply while a metal weight 40' is slidably connected to the rod 39
and seats on the topmost carton of the stack. The weight 40' and
rod 39 functions as a rheostat so that as the metal weight 40'
slides down the rod 39 as the cartons are expelled, the voltage
delivered into the linear actuator 36 decreases. In this way, the
force of the piston 38 will vary in corresponding relation to the
height of the carton stack.
Referring to FIG. 4, in the event that it is required to ensure the
security of the vending machine against tampering, each housing 17
can also include a sensing means 41 to determine when the lowermost
carton 24 has been removed. This sensing means 41 can also be
connected to the gate means 29 so as to positively move the gate
plate 31 through the opening 30 in the housing floor 28. For
example, where the gate means 29 utilizes an electrically operated
solenoid 33, the sensing means 41 is connected into the circuit of
the solenoid 33 so as to cause the solenoid to positively force the
gate plate 31 upwardly after passage of a carton. Further, if for
some reason the gate plate 31 does not move into position, a
warning light or sound signal can be activated so as to indicate
that the machine has been tampered with or has been rendered
inoperative.
The sensing means 41 is constructed with a housing 42 located on
the underside of the floor 28 at about mid-length of the lowermost
carton and has a spring biased pin 43 which passes through a hole
44 in the floor 28 to abut against the carton 24 resting on the
floor 28. The pin 43 is constructed as a switch within an
electrical circuit to the gate means 29 so that when the pin 43 is
depressed by a cigarette carton 24, the circuit to the gate means
29 is open allowing the gate means 29 to be operated in a normal
manner. However, when the pin 43 is moved out of the housing 42 to
project upwardly through the floor 28 due to the passage of the
lowermost carton 24, the electrical circuit to the gate means is
closed causing the gate means 29 to force the gate plate 31
upwardly. In order to permit sufficient time for removal of the
lowermost carton 24, a slight time delay (not shown) can also be
built into this circuit to the gate means 29.
In use, a token 12 is purchased at a check-out counter (FIG. 1) and
thereafter deposited into the slot 26 of a particular cigarette
vending machine 13. At this time, the gate plate 31 (FIGS. 3 and 4)
is retracted through the floor 28 so as to expose the lowermost
carton 24. Thereafter, the linear actuator 36 is actuated so that
the piston 38 pushes the lowermost carton 24 partially out of the
housing opening 25, e.g., with a 4 inch projection. The piston 38
then retracts while the shopper pulls the remainder of the carton
24 from the housing 17. As the gate plate 31 is spring loaded, the
gate plate 31 returns to the blocking position as the lowermost
carton slides across the opening 30 in the floor 28. However,
should the spring 34 fail to function, the sensing means 41, by
sensing the passage of the lowermost carton, will positively
control the gate means 29 to force the gate plate 31 into the
blocking position.
Referring to FIG. 2, the vending machines 13' are constructed in
fractional sizes, such as, one-half the height of the above
described vending machines 13 and are stacked vertically in pairs.
These vending machines 13' are each capable of a capacity slightly
less than half the capacity of the full size machines 13, for
example, each contains nine cartons 24. In other respects, the
fractional machines 13' are the same as those described above and
similar reference characters are used to indicate like parts as
above.
Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8, wherein like reference characters
indicate like parts as above, the vending machine 50 can
alternatively be constructed in a manner to further insure the
locking of the machine against tampering. For example, a tray 51 is
slidably mounted on the floor 28 to receive and eject the lowermost
carton. This tray 51 includes a tab 52 which is exposed to the
exterior of the housing 17 to serve as a means for manual gripping
and pulling of the tray from the housing 17. In addition, the tray
carries a stop 53 on the underside thereof which cooperates with a
stop block 54 on the side wall of the housing 17 so as to limit the
amount of outward motion of the tray 51. In addition, a lock 55
which is constructed in similar fashion to the gate means 29, is
provided under the rear of the tray 51 to cooperate with a slot 56
in the tray 51. The lock 55, as shown in FIG. 5, has an upwardly
extending plate 57 which is biased by a spring 58 through an
opening 59 in the floor 28 into the slot 56 in the rear of the tray
51. This plate 57 is also connected into a solenoid 60 as is known
so as to be retracted from the tray 51 when the solenoid 60 is
energized.
In addition, a spring 61 is connected to the rear of the tray 51
and the rear wall 62 of the housing 17 so as to spring load the
tray 51 under a slight force against the force of a person pulling
the tray 51 from the housing 17. A sensing means 41 as above is
also mounted under the tray 51 to one side thereof.
In order to positively retract the tray 51 into the housing 17
after a carton has been removed therefrom, a retraction means 63 is
mounted to the rear of the tray 51 within the housing 17. This
retraction means 61 includes a bifurcated yoke 64 which is
pivotally mounted on the base 65 of the housing 17, a solenoid 66
which is pivotally mounted on the rear wall 62 and a link 67 which
pivotally connects to the solenoid 66 and is fixed on the yoke 64.
The arms 68 of the yoke 64 are provided with elongated slots 69
into which a suitable cam 70 mounted on the side wall 71 of the
tray 51 projects. Also, the solenoid 66 has a piston 72 which is
reciprocally mounted link as is known, and is hinged to the like
67,
The tray 51 is also provided with a slot 73 near the forward end to
permit passage of the plate 31 of the gate means 29.
The gate means 29, sensing means 41, lock 55 and the retraction
solenoid 66 are each electrically connected in a suitable circuit
so as to be operated in proper sequence. That is, upon depositing
of a token into the machine 50, the electrical circuitry of the
machine 50 is energized, the gate means 29 is first operated to
retract the plate 31 to expose the lowermost cigarette carton 24 to
view. At the same time, the lock 55 is actuated to retract the
plate 57 so that the tray 51 is free to move out of the housing 17.
Thereafter, the purchaser can grasp the depending tab 52 of the
tray to pull the tray 51 with the carton 24 thereon (FIG. 7) from
the housing 17. The tray 51 is then pulled out as far as the stops
53-54 permit and the carton of cigarettes thereon can be removed
(FIG. 8). During this time, the yoke 64 pivots freely towards the
front of the housing 17 while drawing the piston 22 from the
solenoid 66. As the lowermost carton is removed from the tray 51,
the spring biased pin 43 of the of the sensing means 41 pops
through the floor 28. This opens the circuit to the solenoid 66 of
the retraction means 63. The yoke 64 is then pivoted rearwardly as
the piston 72 is retracted positively into the solenoid so as to
pull the tray 51 back into the housing 17. As the tray 51 moves
into its normally retracted position, the pin 43 of the sensing
means 41 is depressed and thereafter both the gate plate 31 and
lock plate 57 snap into position with respect to the slots 73, 56
to lock the tray 51 in place.
It is noted that the token receiving means, as well as the other
individual components within each housing 17 are of modular
construction so as to be readily removed. In the case of the token
receiving box, this allows these means to be removed at the end of
a sales day and retained in a safe place, such as a safe, overnight
and replaced the next day.
Because the tokens emanate from a controlled source for deposit
into controlled areas, the retail outlet owner or manager can
easily determine the quantity of tokens sold as well as the
quantity of tokens received in the vending machines over a
predetermined time period, for example, one sales day. In this way,
the sales of cigarette cartons can be related to the purchase of
tokens as a check.
It is also noted that replenishment of the cigarette cartons in the
vending machines can be made simply by unlocking the door of the
housing and inserting the desired number of cartons.
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